Tabs

[Doggy doo doo]

So now gumby is out for 12 weeks and I'd say that's the year gone from pre season reports tabs and gumby were both clunking a few in the forward drills. Can the people who have been to training and the nab games give us a run down on if this guy can fill the role?, too young, apeness?, keps? Alex Pearce? I just want a freaking clunker god damn it

 

[Simmofreo]

I hate what has happened as I watch WC with all their bloody talls in the forward line !!!!!!!!!! I just don't think tabs is strong enough. People keep saying he will now get a chance but he had a fair few chances last year too. Training reporters : How does he honestly look marking wise this year ?

 

[estibador]

12 weeks? F**k me dead, is the poor guy made of balsa wood?

 

[estibador]

I just don't think tabs is strong enough. People keep saying he will now get a chance but he had a fair few chances last year too.

To be fair, Tabs didn't get much of a chance to show what he could do last year.

From memory two of his games were in rainy conditions that made life hard for marking forwards, one was in the smashing we copped in Geelong, and the other was in the Tankgate game against the Saints.

 

[Simmofreo]

To be fair, Tabs didn't get much of a chance to show what he could do last year.

From memory two of his games were in rainy conditions that made life hard for marking forwards, one was in the smashing we copped in Geelong, and the other was in the Tankgate game against the Saints.

Ok that's a good point. I guess the biggest thing is that a defender will have to go to him ! They can't all take Pav. And any game plans that involved Gumby I'm assuming (hoping) all people capable of that position would have learnt. Surely right ?

 

[pavsbootlace]

Kepler is your man.

 

[Rob]

Yeah, i'd still back Kepler in if he's fit. Duffy didn't look completely useless against the Weagles, he might get a run sometime during the year.

 

[Gekko71]

Kepler is your man.

I agree - Kep isn't one to kick a bag, but he was averaging 2 goals a game last season before being injured.

Kep forces a contest and requires that someone cover him - he consistently provides enough of a scoring threat to make it difficult to justify double-teaming Pav all the time. Out of all our experienced ruck/forwards he's also the one who can take a mark on a proper lead most consistently.

Tabs is a pure KPF - he will get a shot and I wish him well - but he's still lacking a bit of muscle IMO.

I'm very interested in seeing Apeness perform at WAFL level to see if he could possibly make his AFL début mid season. Really like the look of this kid. He's a hell of a mark and apparently deceptively quick on the lead.

As a possible alternative, on current form I would suggest Sandi. We have more natural ruckmen then we do KPFs right now. The way sandi has been clunking marks and gathering ground ball lately, having him do more proportionately more forward work than ruck work on each game is a possible solution - especially if Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow, Lachie et al can negate Sandi's loss in the ruck with more contested possessions off opposing ruckmen. If both Griff and Zac can come back firing like they were last year, this option becomes particularly attractive.

 

[theGav56]

Without Gumbleton the oppositions most likely strategy is going to be to double/triple team Pavlich. If Taberner plays I don't think he plays the same role that Gumbleton would have. I think he would play a much more mobile style of game where he does not need to out-muscle an opponent, but definitely needs to take them away from Pavlich.

We are unlikely to be able to make do with only Sandilands in the ruck now, whereas it at least seemed plausible with Gumby there. Perhaps when Bradley comes in. That means in rd 1 we are possibly looking at Hannath and Taberner as inclusions. Would love to be able to consider any of Bradley, Clarke, Griffin or Marabitto.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

Taberner for AA!

Seriously though, my buddy would probably need 3-4 matches before anything is seen by him, just to adapt to intensity.

 

[rgauci]

To be fair, I don't think he's played along side Pav. Love to see how the 2 work together.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

"Based on what is happening there. Gumbleton has gone down. [Matt] Taberner needs to stand up, so yeah that would throw him into the mix. It might be a Bradbury," Lyon said.

Sounds like its his spot to lose.
http://m.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-26/coach-report-dockers

 

[Righteo]

Would prefer someone who can actually mark up forward, much as I love Keps.

 

[pavsbootlace]

Would prefer someone who can actually mark up forward, much as I love Keps.

OK, Travis Cloke then?

 

[FFC4ME]

We obviously do need a second tall forward who can draw the defenders away from double- and triple-teaming Pavlich as part of the evolution of our game plan this season. Gumbleton has put in a lot of work over the pre-season to provide this option (and he still may when he returns), but we'll be forced to use someone else at the start of the season.

The problem is, I see Taberner more as Pav's heir apparent than a complement to him in our present set-up. His tank and athletic abilities mean that he is much more in the mould of the roaming CHF than the stay at home forward to clunk marks and give crumbs to the small forwards. At this point Tabs is still developing his physique and would be outbodied too easily.

Hannath is the man for this situation. Let's be honest, when called upon to be a ruckman, to date in his AFL career Jack's just not up to the standard required. After observing him last season, where he can contribute well to the team is to stay inside the forward 50 and act as a marking target. His kicking skills are above average for such a tall man, although his body is still developing he's a stronger pack mark than Taberner, and provided that one of the small forwards gets back there to crumb (instead of leaving him with the opposition FB like a shag on a rock after concertina-ing up too far, as happened just about every time he went to full forward at Subi last year).

Pressure wise we probably will lose something, but it's not as though Gumbleton would have added much in this area (and indeed, he probably tore his hamstring in the act of trying to do it!).

 

[scon]

When salim malik says big Jack is treacle he does not mean he's dark and made from sugar.

 

[Kenny_01]

Taberner has the skills and ability needed. Lacks the aggression and determination that is required to be a force in the AFL right now though. Hopefully it is a confidence thing and it comes with time and as he builds his body; he is still very young. I really hope he does.

 

[riffraff]

Unleash the beast I say.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

will it make us to top heavy if we have both hannath and tabs in the team?

my preference will be hannath over tabs purely on the fact that we need a decent chop out for sandilands. with all this talk about managing aaron's workload during the season, we can't expect him to ruck 90% of games and the "zac into ruck" master plan won't work all the time.

though saying that, if either clarke or keps are ready to go, imo they will get the nod ahead of both

 

[Fred Ziffel]

I agree - Kep isn't one to kick a bag, but he was averaging 2 goals a game last season before being injured.

Kep forces a contest and requires that someone cover him - he consistently provides enough of a scoring threat to make it difficult to justify double-teaming Pav all the time. Out of all our experienced ruck/forwards he's also the one who can take a mark on a proper lead most consistently.

Tabs is a pure KPF - he will get a shot and I wish him well - but he's still lacking a bit of muscle IMO.

I'm very interested in seeing Apeness perform at WAFL level to see if he could possibly make his AFL début mid season. Really like the look of this kid. He's a hell of a mark and apparently deceptively quick on the lead.

As a possible alternative, on current form I would suggest Sandi. We have more natural ruckmen then we do KPFs right now. The way sandi has been clunking marks and gathering ground ball lately, having him do more proportionately more forward work than ruck work on each game is a possible solution - especially if Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow, Lachie et al can negate Sandi's loss in the ruck with more contested possessions off opposing ruckmen. If both Griff and Zac can come back firing like they were last year, this option becomes particularly attractive.

The problem with that is Sandi is part of our kick in from behinds routine. Too early for Kep to play RD1 .

 

[Taylor]

Replace the role, tall leading marker. Play the extra mid, rotate Barlow, Fyfe, Mundy through the position and run the opponent off their feet.

 

[couldhavebeen]

Taberner has the skills and ability needed. Lacks the aggression and determination that is required to be a force in the AFL right now though. Hopefully it is a confidence thing and it comes with time and as he builds his body; he is still very young. I really hope he does.

I get really annoyed with peoples observations from afar about what is in a players head .

Pavlich isn't rated on the east coast because he isn't a clone of Cloke .
How many times have we heard the line about Pavlich not being hard at it in a contest .

Kenny
You have no idea how hard Taberner is and you wouldn't have a clue about his determination to make it in AFL football .
your condescending remarks are unwarranted

Taberner has done 1 preseason before this one and everyone involved in top level football will tell you it takes BIG GUYS a lot longer to get the body right.
Posters who have been to training and kept an Eye on the kid will tell you that he is a very good trainer and that he puts in the hard yards .

In training drills and match sims he knows where to run and is a good decision maker . Tabs is a good contested mark and a very good kick .

He lacks the build of a power forward but has added weight and power to his frame .

This kid can play and has the ability to become a very good AFL footballer .
He leaves nothing out there when it come to training .
The coaches are impressed with the questions he asks them about how he can improve as well he handles constructive criticism very well .

I don.t know if you have been to a training session but if not try and get down there and see for your self because none of these guys are there to just make up the numbers .

 

[UFO Tatsu]

I get really annoyed with peoples observations from afar about what is in a players head .

Pavlich isn't rated on the east coast because he isn't a clone of Cloke .
How many times have we heard the line about Pavlich not being hard at it in a contest .

Kenny
You have no idea how hard Taberner is and you wouldn't have a clue about his determination to make it in AFL football .
your condescending remarks are unwarranted

Taberner has done 1 preseason before this one and everyone involved in top level football will tell you it takes BIG GUYS a lot longer to get the body right.
Posters who have been to training and kept an Eye on the kid will tell you that he is a very good trainer and that he puts in the hard yards .

In training drills and match sims he knows where to run and is a good decision maker . Tabs is a good contested mark and a very good kick .

He lacks the build of a power forward but has added weight and power to his frame .

This kid can play and has the ability to become a very good AFL footballer .
He leaves nothing out there when it come to training .
The coaches are impressed with the questions he asks them about how he can improve as well he handles constructive criticism very well .

I don.t know if you have been to a training session but if not try and get down there and see for your self because none of these guys are there to just make up the numbers .

chill coulda

if you read his post with carefully, you will see his remark wasn't condescending and he didn't say that tabs is just making numbers. he just want him to be more aggressive and determined, which has been mentioned by other posters and i believe some of the training reporters as well.

i am assuming from kenny's post that he meant determined in the plays not to play AFL.

 

[Nickos66]

Replace Gumby with a tall marking midfielder.

• Improves midfield rotations
• no defensive pressure lost
• Adds more midfield run into the 18 onfield
• Still just as damaging, if not more than any 2nd string tall forward we plonk up there.
• Our tall mids have shown they can take a decent mark in the forward line.

 

[couldhavebeen]

Tatsu

Taberner . Lacks the aggression and determination that is required to be a force in the AFL right now though.
He is Mind reading